Inclement Weather School Closure Guidelines

Information for Parents and Students

Inclement weather conditions such as freezing rain, significant snowfall or high wind can occur during the fall and winter months. In such conditions, decisions on the opening or closure of school district facilities are made by the Superintendent of Schools, in consultation with management and supervisory staff, who have checked first-hand on the driving conditions, walking/sidewalk conditions, and general condition of buildings and accessibility to sites. For more details on how this is assessed, click here.

While service to students and parents is a priority and schools will be kept open as much as is reasonably possible, student and staff safety is the primary consideration.

In the event of extreme weather conditions, parents are urged to check the School District website www.sd33.bc.ca or tune into radio stations STAR FM (98.3 FM) or The Drive (89.5 FM), to receive up-to-date information on school closures and information on the buses. Reports will start after 6:00 a.m. and will be repeated often. The information broadcast is directly from the School District. The reports are confirmed and there is no need to call your school, the School District Office or the radio station. Students will be marked absent for the day, but such an absence will not affect a perfect attendance record.

In the event that there is inclement weather but the school remains open, it is the parent’s decision, based on their assessment of the relative safety of travel conditions, as to whether or not their children attend school.

A Transportation Snow Plan is in place for students who rely on travel by school bus and live in higher elevations such as Chilliwack Mountain, Little Mountain, Majuba Hill, Ryder Lake and some areas of Columbia Valley and the Eastern Hillsides. An announcement will be made should travel in these areas become challenging due to slippery road conditions. (Please note: the greater Promontory area does not have a snow plan).